Delicious food, its French / California culinary vibe is akin to Jeune et Jolie up in Carlsbad. Chefs know what they're doing. Great combinations, rich, balanced, not overly salty. Will be back! read more

The lady who runs this place was rude. There's a better way to communicate to people who waited all day to eat at this restaurant that they're 13 minutes early and the restaurant can't seat them yet. read more

The best part was the cozy chair. Service was nice, but slow. Food was beautifully plated, but portions were microscopic and bland. Like other reviewers, I left hungry after splitting a $300 bill for a few appetizers and two main dishes. read more

Been a few times and enjoyed ourselves every time. We always seem to come for a birthday and end up at the long table in the center of the restaurant-hope we aren't too rambunctious since it's a small space and a big group. Drinks are pretty well balanced, not one I wouldn't recommend. The Blackberry Bourbon Smash is probs my favorite. Slightly fruity, spirit forward, and a little bit citrusy. The Clarified Marg is a also a hit, as well as the Early Grey Lemon Sour and the New Spain. It's set up as a Prix Fixe, with a couple to several options per course. Some things can be added on a la carte, but still a pretty good deal from what I remember. Lots of attention to detail with each dish and great service from everyone all around. Some standouts include: Halibut, Duck, Pork Loin, and Ribeye. Their Oysters are also great, specially for people who don't traditionally like oysters-the foam adds a great freshness and def hard to have just one. The Caviar and Frites are pricey and a small serving, but fun if you're celebrating something special. Meals include an amuse bouche, as well as a dessert to end the night. As repeat customers, always happy to recommend them over and over. read more

I was looking forward to trying this place but it didn't meet expectations. First above all else the food lacked flavor. Not even the fact that it was under-salted, but the fact that it was quite bland. The mushrooms in one of the dishes were soggy. And another oversight that shouldn't happen at a restaurant like this, the duck was very tough. I'm confused because I just read a review that said the food was amazing but they had to send their steak back? I really don't understand that. Should have read reviews more thoroughly before coming. Portions were extremely small. You can't tell by any of the photos (including mine) but they are absolutely tiny portions and I usually never comment about that when I eat out as I don't like taking home leftover food. We ended up having to eat somewhere else after ordering 4 things off the menu. We spent $200 and still had to get another dinner. Otherwise the restaurant was very beautiful inside, and the presentation of the food was quite stunning. Maybe you will have a different experience. If you eat out very frequently and just want a nice looking place to eat then sure, try it. If the food had tasted better I would have given them 4 stars. read more

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Delicious French style food! Nice ambience. I only had wised our table also had large beautiful bouquet of like one next to us.As mentioned, even reservations were made, it was a double birthday celebration. Servings are typical smaller French cuisine in size. If large appetite's, order 2-3 appetizers. Fantastic from beginning to end. All was delicious! Only negative was though portions weee smaller, prices were not. Little pricey. Perhaps this is to be expected in SD, North Park Area. This was my first visit. read more

Went on a Friday evening. The tables were not all full, but the seats at the bar stayed mostly full the whole time we were there. If you want a table, I would still recommend a reservation. Our server came over quickly to introduce herself, but didn't rush us on drinks. She gave us a few minutes and came back for our order. She also asked if we had questions, and was very helpful in answering. Our drinks came out, and I really enjoyed the Empress Gin Cocktail. I also had a glass of red wine later (an Italian wine I believe), which was also quite good. Between the 4 of us, we opted to get 4 of the first courses and 4 of the thirds. None of us are big dessert people, so the tasting option just didn't really make sense for us. As far as the firsts, nothing was bad, but we also didn't feel wowed - especially for the size/price. The crudo was probably my favorite, and the pumpkin my least favorite. Unless you are a vegetarian, I would skip that one. As far as the thirds, my husband and I shared the striploin and the duck breast. Our server suggested medium rare, which is what we would have done, but that was definitely the right choice. These 2 items were delicious. Cooked perfectly, tender, and seasoned just right. The veggies with both were also very good. Definitely the highlights of our food! The atmosphere was perfect. Dimly lit, but not so dark that you couldn't see the menu. I love the little corner location. Service was great (actually maybe a little too fast on the firsts). As many others said though, the price for the amount of food is a bit high. It's probably one of the most expensive places we have been for a dinner in SD, and we have eaten at the higher end spots in Little Italy and downtown. While we enjoyed our experience, I don't know how often I would return. read more

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Was in the north park area and got a hot tip to go "down the hill" and boy am I glad that I did. The Black Radish was a cute little ups ale spot with lots to offer! I sat at the bar, where bar manager Adam was very knowledgeable about the menu and super friendly. I tried a new to me varietal of wine that was amazing. I was interested in trying the pre fixed menu but didn't have the time so I'd love to go back! After a really tasty amuse bouche I ordered the petite cheddar biscuits with chive butter and for something a little more substantial, I got the duck linguine. Everything was full of flavor. Do note, the portions are small but are intended to be part of a multi course meal. They also finished with a toasted marshmallow amuse bouche dessert. While sitting at the bar, was able to chat with the owner John who was great. Definitely interested in trying one of their themed dinners. Also, don't sleep on checking out the bathroom- was very cool lol. read more

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Let's just cut to the chase... we have a new favorite restaurant! Black Radish was recommended to us by some good friends that also appreciate great food. They said it was one of their favorite. We showed up right when they opened at 5. We had a reservation for later that evening, but were starving so we headed there early in hopes of them being able to seat us early. They were more than happy to accommodate us. The entire staff was warm & welcoming. Shout out to Lucas & Kelly for taking such amazing care of us our entire visit. We had noted in the reservation that we were celebrating love, and they generously brought us 2 flutes of champagne. When we mentioned that we were on an alcohol break, the immediately swapped it out for some delicious non-alcoholic bubbly! Generally, N/A wines are overly sweet, but this was quite subtle and delicious. Actually, subtle flavors was the theme of the evening. We were excited to be informed that most of their cocktails could be made as mocktails. We eagerly ordered our first round. These mocktails were AMAZING! We could definitely appreciate the use of N/A spirits as opposed to other places that just make mocktails with juices. I had a blackberry smash & in no way did I miss the bourbon. The smokiness the N/A spirits added were (again) subtle, and added a complexity to the mocktail that made it amazing. We ordered 4 mocktails in total and they were all incredible. We cannot wait to go back and try some more & have those again. But wait, there's more greatness! The food was delightful. Once again, all of the flavors were so subtle and blended together so well. We did the 4 course pre fixe menu, and left satiated, but not overly food. They even had GF options for ever course for my wife who is celiac and for some of the courses, she even had multiple options. My wife is going back this week with a friend & I've already made a reservation for our anniversary towards the end of November. I cannot wait to go back! read more

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I actually had to hold back giggles when I was served because of how absurdly small the portions were. I love a good French restaurant, and I certainly do not expect heaping portions from a slightly more upscale restaurant. The portion of pork belly I got was the size of half of a dollar bill, and unfortunately, it was not tender at all. I think it was about $28. I got three appetizers ranging from $27-$30. It had the texture of ribs that somebody left in the oven too long. The (eight) fries with crème fresh and cavier was the star of the show. The fries were super thick and very tasty so that small portion makes a little bit more sense since potato is filling. The crème fresh was honestly plate licking good. The tuna tartar was good except for chunks of lime, or something very citrusy that provided a random punch of strong flavor against the more mild tuna. I don't think they should've been in chunks. I was one of three tables so, it was a little annoying when it still took a solid five minutes to get my drink that was $19 for a very small serving. I'm used to prices here so I wouldn't balk at $12 or something, but $19 is too high for what you get. It's a run-of-the-mill cocktail here. Everybody clips babies's breath with one of those tiny wooden clips on the side of the glass. That's probably why I was one of three tables at 7:30 PM on a Friday night. Two stars because my server was amazing and attentive, and there is potential, but at this point I wouldn't go back which is a shame because I love a good little French restaurant within walking distance from me. read more

Black Radish - A Mixed Bag After Four Years I visited Black Radish when they first opened about four years ago and remember thinking, "Good food, they just need time to get their systems down." Service was rough around the edges back then, but I gave them a lot of grace because they were brand new. This past week, I went back with reservations, hoping to see how they've grown. Unfortunately, the experience left me more puzzled than impressed. First, the menu we were handed looked almost nothing like the one online. Only a handful of dishes matched, and while I don't mind a changing menu, the difference was big enough to feel misleading. The oysters came with passion fruit--an interesting choice. It's not a flavor combo I usually enjoy, but I can at least say it was creative. The pork belly was rich but had a thick fat strip that hadn't broken down, so it ended up gristly. The crudo had good seasoning but was sliced too thick, which made it taste overly fishy. And then the waiting began. We sat for over 20 minutes between courses, and nearly that long for every dish that followed. The place was busy, but not enough to justify such a consistent kitchen slowdown--especially at this price point. We noticed other tables complaining, though we kept quiet. When the soup and salad finally arrived, the soup ended up being the best dish of the night: balanced, warm, and actually memorable. The bibb salad was fine--just a regular salad, nothing special. Another long wait later, the proteins arrived. My duck was served in a flavorful sauce, but the meat itself was overcooked and tough. The Wagyu steak was even more disappointing. I ordered it rare; it arrived medium-well. For the cost of Wagyu, that's something you expect the kitchen to nail. I didn't bother sending it back since I didn't want to wait another 20 minutes for a replacement. Dessert brought things back up a bit--the blood orange cake was genuinely delicious. The wine pairings were decent but felt basic, especially given the ambition of the menu and the price tag. Service from the staff was warm enough, but no one acknowledged how dragged-out the pacing was. At a restaurant aspiring to be high-end, that lack of awareness hurts the experience. Overall, the food was okay and a few dishes really shined, but the erratic pacing, overcooked proteins, and mismatch between online and in-house menus made the evening feel underwhelming. Black Radish seems to want to play in the gourmet space, but right now, they're just not operating at that level. read more

I enjoyed a wonderful meal here and wanted to make sure the restaurant gets the glowing review they deserve. I really enjoyed having a meal with with some actual interesting new dishes. I really the passion fruit foam oysters; and a very tasty asparagus soup. That may not be 'new' but I don't see it on menus often! Also, even though I hate having favorite dishes leave menus, I love new dishes featured by season. The service was San Diego upscale - casual and friendly vibes but attention to service detail that makes for a very pleasant meal.. I can't wait to go back. read more

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Had dinner here for my birthday. We ordered one (or more) each of almost everything on the menu to share among the six of us. The food and service were excellent. I especially loved the cod entree. Love this place for a special occasion splurge! It's a relatively small restaurant, so make sure you make a reservation and don't miss out! Finally: don't count on the menu on the website being accurate. Apparently, it hasn't been updated since the Fall. read more

This little restaurant is a find! Absolutely wonderful dinner. We did the prix-fixed menu so we could try a number of different dishes...they were all extraordinary. Service was very attentive and the dining room has the right amount of energy without being too loud. Highly recommend. read more

First time eating here. Ambience super cute and quaint. We had the yellowtail crudo and the crab appetizer. I have to say the preparation of both these items were not great. Yellowtail crudo were chunks of fish not cut thin. It was not made with any citrus, it was not good. The crab appetizer was super fishy tasted like it came out of can. Which is sour unfortunate considering the cost for it was 30 bucks! read more

what we ordered | 4 course pre fix menu ($89) | Pineaperol | Gnocchi | Consomme | Wagyu Bavette | Chocolate Bouchon | Madeline with chocolate orange Taste | Pineaperol | this drink was very fruity and sweet and strong. coudn't taste the alcohol Gnocchi | the gnocchi and sauce was delicious. lots of flavor. this came with rabbit which was also tender. Prawn | this was also very good. nice kick and smoky flavor. Consomme | this soup was light and simple. the dumplings were yummy and the filling was so good. came with some sour bread and butter with hawaiian salt. Wagyu Bavette | the wagyu was a bit tough to chew but good flavor and cooked to medium rare. good flavor and the feta was a nice touch. the yukon potatoes were in potato chip form so add that nice crisp texture and the flavor was strong. (this dish is +$9 on top of the prefixe) Chocolate Bouchon | this had a crispy outer layer with a soft gooey center. the chocolate flavor was delicious and the passionfruit added a good amount of tartness to the dessert Madeline with chocolate orange | these were moist and light and the hint of orange was perfect. (this was not part of the menu but they gave it to us at the end the meal! Service | our server Kelli and the bartender Alex were awesome. Kelli went through her recommended dishes and as dishes came out they explained the dishes. great experience. a few tables opened up so Kelli gave us the option on where we'd prefer to sit. we decided to sit by the window. Parking | street Notes | make a reservation for this spot. their menu rotates but they've kept dishes from their previous menus as well. really enjoyed my experience here! read more

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Excellent cared-for experience all around. We had a great meal, full of unexpected dishes that were uniformly excellent.

The food is fabulous and the service impeccable. The bartender fixed me an amazing mocktail! When you're ready for some really fine dining we heartily recommend Black Radish! read more

Black Radish - People enjoying Black Radish relaxed and stylish ambience - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

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What a beautiful and delicious dinner that has service with a smile. Courses were timed perfectly as we got the prefixe meal, which is a four course meal for about $89. The seafood was well cooked and not overly done so nothing was chewy. The cod was seared nicely. The duck breast was a perfect crisp and cooked well to where it's still juicy. I only saw one vegetarian dish that I can recall, which is a mushroom main dish. We'll probably have to go back and try that. Don't even get me started about the dessert - they only had three items on there - a Pavlova, which was citrus forward, but my husband got the Apple pie and it was amazing. Didn't even look like an apple pie actually came out looking like a white pudding on top, but it was cinnamon flavored and when you got into it, there was the apple bite and apple crumb in there. Truly amazing and a creative display contrast to what you would think of a normal Apple pie/tart. Wine selection is immense and on power pricing. I definitely also got some mixed drinks here which were phenomenal. I would just come back here to get some drinks. Definitely is a good drink spot because we saw a lot of other people there at the bar or just having a catch-up session with their friends. Ambience of picked up a little bit so it was moderate noise as a place filled up closer to 6:30 PM. Great date spot or just a small catch-up session with one to two people. The tables are a little on the smaller side, although in the middle of the room, they had two large tables that could sit 6 to 8 people. Street parking only -I didn't have any problems coming right when they opened at 5 o'clock. Cute little corner location. Definitely would come back here again for the service and the amazing food. read more

Black Radish - Beautiful drinks with edible flowers - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

The fixed menu was delicious and savory. Reccomend. The waiter explained each dish and options in depth. friendly and engaging staff. Would come back again. read more

Best hidden gem in north park. Excellent service and excellent food. A special night out without a doubt.

I never would have known about this place had it not been for Yelp. I have driven, walked, and biked to Friendly's right across the street without a second ever noticing this place's existence. The cozy lighting and casual ambiance makes it an even more clandestine location that serves fine dining. Service was among the best I've received in SD with things like opening the door, racking your jacket, and paying sharp attention to when your table is short on water or done with your plates. A++! Like other reviews the food is on the smaller portion size but it more than makes up for it with the quality you can taste. The bar was one of my favorite spots as it looks like a upgraded fancier home bar adding that element of warmth to it. I'll be back to explore more of the drinks here :) read more

Black Radish - Don't sleep on the bar snacks (appetizers)! - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

This was truly a memorable meal. The food was delicious and the service was great. Our only complaint was that on a Wednesday night. The pacing was a little slow. We have liked to have gotten out of there a bit more quickly. But the restaurant has a very cool vibe. It's quiet and comfortable. The food was beyond compare. And our servers were excellent. One of us had the tasting menu and the other two of us chose an appetizer and an entrée. The food was excellent. This is really a very nice nice place to go. read more

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I've dined here twice and the food is between 4 and 5 stars. During my recent visit, I had the gooseberry margarita, grilled plum salad and Alaskan halibut . My cocktail was beautiful, well balanced and not boozy. It was a refreshing drink. The salad consisted of frisee, plums and burrata. This was a delicious combination. The fish was good, but lacked some flavor and could have been better seasoned. Service by Elysse was friendly and food arrived timely. The restaurant is small with a beautiful interior. It can get loud and it was hard to hear my companions at times. The menu changes seasonally. The pre-fix menu with four courses is the better option and I tried this during my first visit and felt satisfied. This time around, we opted for a la carte and I chose two dishes. I still felt hungry. I would return since the food overall is very good. read more

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Sorry to say but this was a miss for me. Our server was nice and attentive so I added an extra star. We were seated at 6:40 and didn't finish our meal until 9:10. This was way too long for a meal that should not have taken that long. Food was just mediocre at best. I left pretty disappointed and wouldn't come back or recommend to others. The dishes I tried: Fries and caviar - this was good but such a tiny portion for the cost. Oysters - these were good. Again, for the cost I expected more. Kampachi - did not enjoy. The yellowtail was NOT fresh. Consomme - one word to describe it: BLAND. I was so disappointed. Wagyu skirt - was not cooked to my liking. I've never had steak where they don't ask how you would like it cooked. It came out rare. Not a fan. Drinks - we ordered a few and they all tasted decent but were weak. I did not taste any hint of alcohol in any drinks. It's extremely noisy in this place. I felt like I was competing with others in the restaurant to talk to the people sitting right next to me. read more

The Back Radish: A Flavorful Experience with a Few Hiccups** My recent visit to The Back Radish was a delightful culinary journey filled with flavors that truly impressed me. The food was nothing short of amazing - each dish bursting with taste and creativity, making it a memorable dining experience. However, I did find a couple of areas where The Back Radish could improve. Firstly, while the cocktails were expertly crafted, they were on the expensive side, which might not appeal to everyone. Additionally, I noticed a lack of low-cost wine options on the menu. For those who prefer a more affordable glass of wine, this could be a drawback. The meal portions are a bit small. We actually left hungry wanting more food. I also observed some inconsistency in the wine pours while watching the bar. A little more attention to ensuring even pours would enhance the overall experience for wine enthusiasts. Another point worth mentioning is the noise level. During my visit, there was a large party inside, which made the atmosphere quite loud. This might be something to consider if you're looking for a quieter dining experience. Despite these minor issues, the exceptional flavors of the food make The Back Radish a restaurant worth visiting. With a few adjustments, it could easily become a top choice for both food and drink aficionados. This service was very attentive and well done for this experience. Although the bar and kitchen are slow. read more

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Our experience at Black Radish was fantastic! The restaurant has a cozy vibe with modern aesthetics. The tables with the lounge seats really makes you feel comfortable. Also, I like that they have a small bar situated in the corner of the restaurant. We ordered a Prix Fixe dinner (4 courses). Notably, they give you little appetizers throughout your dinner. We also bought a bottle of French Cabernet to go with our dinner. For our first course I picked the Shellfish Stew and my girlfriend picked the butter poached lobster. The shellfish stew was served in a cute and small Le Creuset pot with a piece of buttery bread on the side. Although the sauce was a little to sour for my liking, the slightly torched prawn was scrumptious. The butter poached lobster was succulent! For our second course we both picked the Lobster Bisque. We both were blown away on how creamy and tasteful the lobster bisque was. You really get that lobster flavor in each spoon full. The piece of bread served with the dish was meant for dipping! The main courses we picked were the Duck Breast and the A5 Wagyu. Surprisingly the duck breast was very juicy, and the skin was crispy. On a side note, the brown sauce served with the duck was not needed. The A5 Wagyu was the best A5 Wagyu I have had. It was salted perfectly and the meat just dissolves in your mouth. Both dishes were cooked to its fullest potential. *As a side dish, we ordered the Fries and Caviar. This was a must try for us since we are big fans of fries and of caviar. I must say, fries and caviar are a great match. Especially with the smeared creme that is served with the dish. The fries were served thick and crispy and the cavs added that extra bit of salt for the fries. For our last course (dessert), we ordered the apple delight and the chocolate cake. I like that the apple delight was served in a cute lion faced cup. The flavors coming from the apple delight were very strong in cinnamon and fresh apple; an exquisite dish! The chocolate cake served with a little bit of mixed berries and cream. The chocolate was very rich. Both desserts were refreshing. Overall we loved our experience at Black Radish. From the vibe to the food, everything was great. I suggest doing the Prix Fixe option for price purposes and sharing. I also like the portion sizes, as you feel satisfied but not disgustingly full. Moreover, you still have room for dessert. The service was noteworthy as our server was very attentive and fun. Chef Itze Behar puts on a great experience with presentation and flavors. P.S. The wine was so smooth. read more

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Went to Black Radish on a Saturday night with friends. It is a small place with a cozy neighborhood ambiance from the outside. We came "early," around 6:30, and had a great table by the bar. They have outdoor seating, but we chose to have an indoor experience. They have a prix-fix menu with four courses for $79 dollar/person. We all selected the special menu. I had the mini lamb burger, others had the crab cake, ... For the second course, we had an asparagus soup and a roasted beet salad. For the main course, we had duck, venison, wagyu and halibut. Finally, we have pavlova and chocolate cake for dessert. All the dishes are small and tasty. The duck was on the rare side (and hard to cut). The rest was cooked to order--very good food. We had a mixture of cocktails, mocktails, wine, and beer with the meal. The service was great. A small point to note, the meal took 3 hours, which felt long even with the great dishes. read more

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Best fine dining experience I've had in San Diego. Black Radish has a warm, intimate, and tasteful ambiance. The staff was amazing and made our celebration so special. Every drink, appetizer, and entree ordered was unique and exquisite. We left feeling happy, full and with an unforgettable experience. read more

This place gets a 10/10 for ambiance. The restaurant is super cozy. It isn't super big inside, it feels very intimate. My husband and I both opted for the prefix dinner. I had the ahi tuna tartare, lobster bisque, duck two ways, and lemon dessert. Overall, I was very pleased with my meal. The service was quick and everyone was very friendly/attentive. My only comment is I wish there was a place to hang my coat. read more

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Some of the dishes were okay, but overall the quality and flavor of the food was not worth the price. Almost everything needed salt, more flavor, more seasoning read more

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Went for my birthday dinner and was so happy with everything. We did the fixed menu, and everything was perfectly done. The duck a l'orange was a stand-out as a favorite for us both. Attentive & amazing service. The space itself is very cozy and intimate. read more

Black Radish - Duck - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

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We are foodies and winos and well traveled. I chose this restaurant to Find a trendy, sexy, delicious restaurant for my husband's birthday. We brought a $400 bottle of wine. We spent 30 min driving in circles trying to find parking as there is only street parking. We got there at 6:30, our reservation was at 6:00pm. The hostess and waitress kindly let us know the 30mins we spent looking for parking would be deducted from our 2hr time limit and we needed to leave by 8pm. The food was bland-raviolis were undercooked, noting was delicious, I was hungry after I finished my main after eating the 3 course prefixed menu. It was my husbands birthday and the took the dessert away when we still had a bite left and 2 full glasses of wine and let us know we were mins past our 2hr mark and were asked to leave. They said we could drink our wine outside on their heated patio but I was wearing a short dress and it's January. The waitress say my husband pour his wine glass back into our bottle to save it and she just walked away as if that was acceptable to her. When we left, the couple sitting at the end of the booth seating and a couple sitting at a 2 top table at the entrance were STILL enjoying themselves. We were quiet, we both ordered the prefixed menu and a cocktail each. I called prior to our reso to inform we were just outside looking for parking, we came in happy and pleasant and shared conversation with our neighboring guests. I am disgusted after paying $270 to be asked to leave before we even finished our dessert and wine. The food wasn't even good! Instead-go to the market! read more

Black Radish - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

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I usually take nicer pics, but here I decided to just chill out and forget about Yelp lol! Great atmosphere gif a date night also it's cozy and you feel the Intimacy of the place once you enter, totally different experience than other restaurants in San Diego. You feel you are transferred to a different country. We need more of that! We ordered the fix menus set and then we ordered some items on the side. Definitely not a place to get big plates but a place to enjoy good good with good atmosphere. Please add it to your list. read more

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The food was very overpriced for the portion size but the quality was fantastic! It's a great place to drink a couple of glasses of wine and yap. the waitresses are very friendly and gave amazing recommendations. Very comfortable seating and the lighting really sets a comfortable mood. read more

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Best food I've ever eaten. Service was great, wine pairings were exquisite, felt full after the meal. Overall, a great experience all around. Definitely going back very soon! read more

Great spot; limited menu but really great quality. It's been a while since I dined so this review is long overdue. Service was great, drinks were great, and food was tasty, would come back. read more

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The Black Radish was not on my radar until I was reading through Yelp reviews one day and one of my Yelp Friends reviewed the Black Radish. It sounded intriguing, so I decided to book a table for that very evening, a Wednesday. I like the old corner building in which the Black Radish is located on a prosaic stretch of El Cajon Boulevard. There is a large black radish made of intertwined black Iron that hangs above the entrance door like a happy lantern. Parking can be a challenge, for is street parking only. Because I was dining early midweek at 5:30 p.m., I easily found a spot a block away to stash my chariot. I was the first person in the dining room that evening. I was seated at a table along the robin's egg blue velvet banquettes on the right. However, along the windows on the opposite side of the dining room are a series of tables with "lounge" like chairs, that give the ambiance more the feel of an all-day hang-out coffee house rather than a proper restaurant. There was good jazz music on the restaurant's soundtrack, including haunting melodies by Billie Holiday. While it was still quiet in the room, a woman wandered in and a full job interview was conducted right at the bar. I heard all about as to how she had been a manager at a South Park restaurant and her employer had cut her hours, so she was looking for work. I must say that 15 minute discussion at full volume in the middle of the dining room was an interference of mood. The initial server assigned to my table was not particularly pleasant, despite the fixed apparent smile underneath the formidable mask [which all staff wear]. For example, after I was served the amuse bouche of hummus, although my server had previously described all of the ingredients, I had forgotten them, so I inquired of a passing busboy. He responded "Hummus". I said, "do you know what else?" To which he responded "No". I then asked him if he could find out for me. He disappeared into the kitchen. Thereafter, my server approached, stating "So, I heard you were curious as to what was in the Amuse Bouche". I responded, I was not "curious", I just wanted to know the ingredients. To that, she said "well, it's the same thing!" [being "curious" and "wanting to know"]. She then rolled her eyes, told me the ingredients, let out an exasperated sigh and turned on her heels to greener pastures. Happily, the initial server never returned, as it appeared that as the restaurant filled with patrons, she was assigned to the other side of the room near the windows, so I no longer had to deal with the eye rolls and sighs. The new server, Elyse [sp?] was charming, knowledgeable and friendly. As is became darker, I noticed a busboy going about the room lighting the votive candles on the tables. As he walked from table to table doing so, he would toss the stick lighter in the air where it did a twirl and swirl between each table, just like a circus juggler. I am not sure if that manner is in sync with the restaurant's ambitions. A man wearing blue jeans with long blond hair covered by a pink scarf who was behind the bar walked by my table numerous times. Even though I was the only customer in the dining room and he was walking literally two feet from me, he never so much glanced my way. Why? Happily, later, he DID stop by. He told me his name was "John" and he identified himself as the owner. Once we spoke, I found him to be a gracious host and we had a nice little chat as I left the restaurant. As to the food, I ordered the four-course prix-fixe dinner. I found all the dishes to be quite superb and delicious. There was even some wonderful hot sourdough bread served with one course in which John takes particular pride, and rightly so. I like the fact there was a plat du jour not on the printed menu that could be ordered as part of the prix-fixe dinner with no surcharge. I am a "specials" guy, since I have found that all good chefs show their best in the nightly specials. On my evening, it was a rack of lamb atop cassoulet, which was perfect. The reason The Black Radish cannot yet attain five stars is because currently the wine list is inadequate to complement the complex and refined cooking emanating from the kitchen. Elyse mentioned something about the restaurant partnering with a wine bar in Little Italy, so hopefully the wine list will be expanded with some interesting wine selections. The wines are currently stored in a shelf behind the bar. My red wine was served too warm and not at cellar temperature, so we had to chill it for a while. That is something to watch out for, and should be corrected by the restaurant. But more than the wine list, the restaurant has to also offer wine service. If you are going to feature $140.00 bottles of wine, the customer expects the server will pour that wine throughout the meal---that is what the inflated restaurant prices of of wine are to encompass. However, on the night of my visit, after the initial pour, there was ZERO wine service. read more

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Black Radish was such a fun experience. We went for a friend's birthday. TL;DR: Overall food and service for the prix fixe menu was good, but just didn't feel up to the price point ($89). Good thing was there were a good amount of vegetarian options in each course. AMBIANCE: This is a really small and cute restaurant. I personally loved the intimate vibe here, which was so unique, quaint, yet high end. It's hard to come by a restaurant like this in San Diego, which makes it feel all the more special. FOOD: The food was really good, but it just felt like it was lacking the finesse to make it worth the $90 tasting menu price point. For a similar price point, you can do other tasting menus in San Diego (even a michelin). The amuse bouche was not a great palette opener (for vegetarians it was just carrots and salt). The other courses were really good, I just wish the mushroom pasta had a little bit more salt and flavor. The mushroom Wellington REALLY stole the show. I would have liked to see a better bread course as well. Wish there was more of the dessert. Drinks were really great and really complimented all the food! Service was very personal and definitely felt a little more high end. All plates and utensils were changed after each course. read more

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The BEST restaurant I've attended in San Diego. Wife and I tried the 3-4 course meal, forget what it was called. The food here is incredible, SF or NY caliber. We had: The shrimp- beautifully perfectly cooked. Wedge salad - best one i've had ever, high quality ingredients Lobster sandwich - high quality, maine quality The steak - not the best i've had, sent it back, chef came out and apologized which was nice. The drinks here are also house made by a very talented bar tender. I had a specialty cocktail of somekind and a gin and tonic. In my opinion they could raise the prices by 40% and the quality would still be well worth the dollar. Amazing spot. Must try. read more

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